The Drifting Cloud Scholar

In my fourteen years of wandering Taiwan, I discovered my karmic connections with a number of wonderful teachers. As a University of Hawaii graduate student in medieval Chinese Buddhist history, I would cycle into the countryside around Taipei visiting monasteries. Part of my interest was to better understand the role of Buddhism in Chinese society. With that understanding I might have a clearer insight to the medieval Buddhist texts and historical records I was studying.

Many of these visits led to amazing discoveries. There was a whole generation of senior Chinese Buddhist monks who had escaped the religious persecution across the Taiwan Strait to settle in the Taiwanese countryside. I learned and continue to learn much from their experience and wisdom.

I lived here for one year thanks to the invitation of my teacher, Ven, Cheng-yi. The Buddhist nuns in the background were my students to whom I taught English in exchange for my room and board. It was a wonderful opportunity to study the internal workings of a Chinese Buddhist association.

Gifts!

Master Cheng-yi was always very kind to his students and enjoyed giving us gifts - both material and spiritual.

More Gifts!

Even to his last days, the master continued his generosity.

Ven. Master Hsiao-yun

Ven. Hsiao-yun was both a meditation master and a master artist. My initial introduction into Buddhist mediation was made possible through her generosity and tireless devotion to teaching the Dharma.

Ven. Hsiao-yun, A Meditation Master

Ven. Hsiao-yun practiced and taught a combination of Tientai and Chan Buddhism. I attended a number of her seven-day meditation sessions on Yangming Mountain. They remain some of my most profound life experiences.

Ven. Hsiao-yun, Artist in the Chan and Taoist traditions.

Ven. Hsiao-yun expressed the Buddhist reverence for Nature in her art. She eventually founded Huafan University in the mountains south of Taipei. The setting can be experienced as a living statement to the Chinese tradition of landscape painting.

Ven. Chan Master Ling-yuan

As disciple of the great Chan master Ven. Hsu-yun, I met Ven. Ling-yuan on one of my bike rides to monasteries in Taiwan. He was the living embodiment of an ancient Chinese Chan master - humorous, down to earth, humble, and profound.

Ven. Ling-yuan & Vistor

Taken on one of my visits to Master Ling-yuan's monastery.

Ven. Chan Master Hsu-yun

Ven. Chan master Hsu-yun was one of China's great 20th century representatives of the Chan (Zen) tradition. He was also Master Ling-yuan's master.

Ven. Chan Master Hsu-hsiang

Ven. Chan master Hsu-hsiang is another master I met on one of my bike rides to Taiwan monasteries. He was a wonderful teacher who had a profound influence on me although he died much too young.

Ven. Chan Master Lai-guo

Ven. Chan Master Lai-guo was another one of China's great 20th century Chan masters. He was also the Ven. Hsu-hsiang's master.